Bottom Line: JobTrain Provides First-Class Vocational Education that Allows Everyone a Chance to Improve Their Lives

JobTrain, a vocational education and job placement program based in Menlo Park, has found a way to help those residents of San Mateo County who need assistance in building a path to a successful career.

Bottom Line: Goodwill Industries has been recycling since before it was called “recycling,” and today they are a leader in the effort to create good jobs for populations in need.

Goodwill Industries of San Francisco San Mateo and Marin was founded over 80 years ago as one of the original recyclers. Its mission was to take used clothing and household goods from wealthier households in the City, and refurbish them for re-use or re-sale to poorer parts of the community. Important to the process, Goodwill would hire citizens from these very same communities to do the work of mending clothes and refurbishing, leading to the slogan "a hand up, not a hand out…"

Bottom Line: San Mateo County is using American Recovery and Investment Act funding to provide rental assistance, emergency food and subsidized employment during this economic recession.

San Mateo County residents have increasingly applied for government assistance to pay their bills and buy groceries. SMC Works was created in response to this and seeks to provide for the residents of San Mateo County during the recession when people are increasingly unable to provide for themselves.

Bottom Line: The Alliance’s commuter shuttle service offers conveniently scheduled vehicles to carry commuters in comfort from BART and Caltrain stations to within easy walking distance of many major San Mateo County employers..

Lots of people would like to take transit to work, but for many, the distance between their work and the nearest Caltrain or SamTrans station is too far to walk. A recent survey by the Alliance found that distance from work to transit station was the second most cited reason for not taking transit for a commute.

Bottom Line: Ecology Action’s RightLights Program provides subsidized energy efficiency upgrades of business lighting and refrigeration systems, with free professional assistance to help you lower your energy bills and boost your cash flow.

Is your business’ utility bill too high? An innovative non-profit offers a great opportunity to businesses to reduce their energy bills, save money, and boost productivity.

Bottom Line: The Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance runs the NEW 511 RideMatch service - an interactive, on-demand system that helps you find carpools and vanpools. And they’ll pay you to join one.

Carpooling saves money, saves resources, and can save the air. But where do you go to find carpool partners to share rides to work? Just visit Commute.org where you can quickly create a profile and find commuters who have similar travel routes and schedules with whom you can share a ride.  The system lets you easily send potential rideshare partners an e-mail or give them a call.

Bottom Line: Buying locally keeps dollars in the local economy, creates local jobs, and reduces a variety of environmental impacts.

Why Buy Local?

YOU WILL GET EXCEPTIONAL TASTE AND FRESHNESS. Local food is fresher and tastes better than food shipped long distances from other states or countries. Local farmers can offer produce varieties bred for taste and freshness rather than for shipping and long shelf life.

 

Bottom Line: The Ways to Work Family Loan program, administered by Family Service Agency of San Mateo County, provides short-term, low interest loans to assist low-income parents in solving transportation problems.

The Ways to Work Family Loan Program is a proven, innovative program that provides small, short-term, low-interest loans to assist low-income parents with challenging credit histories to cope with transportation barriers which may interfere with their ability to maintain self-sufficiency. The purpose of the loan is to assist low-income families through affordable car ownership as a solution to employment stability.

Bottom Line: A look at the resources available for unemployed workers and their families

The stress of unemployment is indeed a heavy burden. House payments, health insurance, food and basic living expenses all become points of anxiety when there is no paycheck coming in. However, unemployed workers are not alone and should not feel helpless. There are many resources available in San Mateo County to help you get right back into the workforce and relieve some the anxiety of life’s many burdens in the meantime.

Bottom Line: Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) provides organic food grown locally for consumption by shareholders and the local community at large.

Community Supported Agriculture (or CSA) provides organic food grown locally for the consumption of people near-by. This food is usually purchased by “shareholders” or at local markets. CSA’s provide consumers with herbicide- and pesticide-free food. They generally harvest 1-2 times a week. The food is available for pick-up most places while some CSA’s even deliver. CSA’s promote a close relationship between the farmer and the consumer. They strive to grow crops that preserver the agricultural viability of the land. And by eating locally, consumers reduce the carbon impact of their food consumption.

Bottom Line: With rising tuition and cost of living, having a part-time job is more important that ever for college students.

With rising cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses, more and more college students are finding the need to work while in school. If you are a college student in San Mateo County, there are various options that are available to help you find work after you’ve been through Craigslist and the classifieds.

Bottom Line: Commuter tax benefit program saves employees on federal income taxes and saves employers on payroll related taxes.

As of February 2009, the Federal tax code allows employers and employees to set aside pre-tax income to pay for transit commuting and parking costs. The tax code allows tax-free transportation fringe benefits of up to $230 per month per employee for transit expenses and up to $230 per month for qualified parking (includes BART stations). Qualified parking must be near an employer's worksite or at a facility from which an employee commutes. Commuters can receive both the transit and parking benefits - up to $460 per month.

Bottom Line: San Mateo County Farm Bureau, Visitors Bureau and Harbor District Team Up to Encourage Use of Locally Grown (and Caught) Products.

We are fortunate to live in California with so many fresh food options, grown right here in our backyard. So why should be purchase food grown out of state (or country) that has to be trucked or shipped thousands of miles? Purchasing locally grown foods benefits the local economy, saves energy, preserves the environment and reduces CO2 emissions. The "San Mateo County: As Fresh as it Gets" Awards program recognizes local restaurants, hotels and caterers that make it a point to buy and serve produce from local San Mateo County growers, seafood caught off of San Mateo County's coastline, local goat cheese and beer and wine made in the county. A corporate category was added this year to recognize companies making an effort to serve their employees or students the freshest local fare.

Bottom Line: Local community colleges are expanding vocational training in the growing clean energy fields to produce highly coveted employees.

The San Mateo County Community College District Vocational Programs train people to enter specific career fields upon completion of coursework. Vocational programs offer a wide variety of career choices including automotive technology, child development, graphic design and dental hygiene. Many community groups offer scholarships for particular fields and for individuals who have specific needs or backgrounds.

Bottom Line: No need to go to Costa Rica, Eco-tourism opportunities abound right here in San Mateo County

Visit the Half Moon Bay Coastside, 80 miles of coastal splendor filled with abundant natural, historical and cultural wonders. From some of the richest marine reserves and wetlands on the California coast, to small working farms where you can explore a barnyard and dine on farm-fresh organic produce; from shopping on historic Main Street in Half Moon Bay, to fishing for wild salmon or albacore tuna - the Half Moon Bay Eco-Tourism campaign has it all.

Bottom Line: Green business certification is a marketing asset, cost cutting measure, energy saver, workforce morale booster and overall smart business strategy.The Bay Area Green Business Program is a successful partnership between cities, counties, environmental agencies, and utility companies that assist businesses in transitioning to practices that are environmentally friendly. There is often an upfront time and dollar investment in gaining green business certification, but almost all businesses agree the savings are worth it after a short payback period. The largest cost saving efforts usually include waste reduction and recycling, lighting upgrades, water conservation, and sourcing recycled products. Local colleges and universities may have graduate level students that are willing to help with energy audits and compliance reviews. Once a business satisfies the requirements on the green business checklist, including visits by PG&E and the water agency, the Green Business Coordinator verifies the results.

Bottom Line: Sequoia Healthcare District is working to meet the needs of a growing community through grants and innovative new programs.A new 2007 agreement between the Sequoia Healthcare District and Catholic Health Care West, gave the community's healthcare programs and services a facelift. Initiatives include upgrading and expanding the capabilities of Sequoia Hospital, the HeartSafe program, community grants, a nursing education partnership, and free medical clinics.

Bottom Line: San Mateo County provides free, comprehensive workforce development services to job seekers, laid-off workers, and employers.

In San Mateo County, the PeninsulaWorks One-Stop Career System, an initiative of the Workforce Investment Board (WIB), spearheads an integrated approach to workforce development.

Bottom Line: Green-Collar Jobs provide a prosperous pathway out of poverty for our people and our planet.

"Let's take the people who most need work, connect them with the work that most needs to be done, and fight pollution and poverty at the same time." Van Jones, Founder, Green For All

Green-collar jobs are like blue-collar jobs with a sustainable, community-building twist. Green-collar jobs are meaningful, pay family wages, and provide opportunities for advancement along a career track of increasing skills and wages. Green-collar jobs are in growing industries that are helping us kick the fossil fuel habit, curbing greenhouse-gas emissions, eliminating toxins, and protecting natural systems. Green-collar workers are already installing solar panels, retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient, constructing transit lines, refining waste vegetable oil into biodiesel, erecting wind farms, repairing hybrid cars, installing green rooftops, planting trees, and so much more.

Bottom Line: SAMCEDA prides itself on being the most vocal advocate of business interests in San Mateo County.

The San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA) is a network of business, political, educational, environmental, and labor leaders who strive to make the county the region's most attractive place to work and start a business. SAMCEDA believes a thriving San Mateo County will have an integrated transportation system, excellent education system, streamlined permit process, and ample open space and housing for the general workforce. Between various committees, events and fundraisers, SAMCEDA creates opportunities for businesses to influence San Mateo County's business climate.